Close encounter of the Orca kind

dogon dory · Last edited by dogon dory on Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:10 pm; edited 1 time in total

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AK Angler · Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:

All I can say is WOW! WOW! WOW! that is incredible. What good fortune to get such great shots. Well done.

dogon dory · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:34 am Post subject:

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Catman · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:08 am Post subject:

Fabulous fotos, Doggone Dan. Big wow.

KenG

FWIW, it isn't considered acceptable to do this (putting your boat in the path of the pod) in the Puget Sound. In Alaskan waters I suspect the density of boats is such as to not be a problem. But, if you've ever seen the tangle of boats that follow pods aroud in the PS then you might (or might not) agree its not the best idea

Many will no doubt disagree.

http://www.whalemuseum.org/downloads/soundwatch/SWguidelines_02.pdf

dogon dory · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:22 am Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

Da Nag

AnchortownJim

From the National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Marine Mammal Viewing Guidelines and Regulations:

"Federal Laws And Marine Mammal Viewing

The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits the TAKE of all marine mammal species in U.S. waters. Take means "to harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill," and harassment means "any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild; or has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, sheltering." TAKE includes feeding or attempting to feed a marine mammal in the wild. Some exceptions are made for authorized scientific research and subsistence hunting by Alaska Natives.

The Endangered Species Act prohibits the TAKE of species listed as endangered or threatened. The definition of TAKE under the Endangered Species Act adds the terms harm, pursue, shoot, wound, trap and collect to the Marine Mammal Protection Act definition of TAKE.

Marine Mammal Viewing
"Code of Conduct"

1. Remain at least 100 yards from marine mammals.

2. Time spent observing individual(s) should be limited to 30 minutes.

3. Whales should not be encircled or trapped between boats, or boats and shore.

4. If approached by a whale, put the engine in neutral and allow the whale to pass.

Federal law prohibits pursuit of marine mammals.

Even if approached by a marine mammal:

1. Offering food, discarding fish or fish waste, or any other food item is prohibited.

2. Do not touch or swim with the animals. They can behave unpredictably and may also transmit disease."

As I see it, Dan did everything by the Alaska book. Smile

Wish I was there to see them!

Jim

Robbi · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:49 pm Post subject:

My close encounter on Monday morning at 6am, was pretty impressive, and I have lived in the San Juans for a few years and only had one other closer encounter, and that was with the Whale Museum folks in one of their research boats.(that was in 1979)

One of the most impressive things for me is to be able to hear the whales when they surface and blow, then breath. In the early morning the mist from their breathing hangs in the air and glistens in the low angled light. It is spiritual. Monday morning was clear, completely still, and quiet. I was the only boat within miles. The whales "fished" for over 30 minutes before they headed back north. I was awe-struck.

A big male breached about 50 feet to my stern and I was so surprised that I missed the picture Shocked

Robbi

Sneaks · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:13 pm Post subject:

Bearbait · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:42 pm Post subject:

A friend of mine was on the Tolleycraft that sunk a few weeks ago in PWS after hitting a whale that they didn't see. He can attest that they "can behave unpredictably". He hasn't broken out in disease yet but did momentarily lose control of his bladder, maybe that's the first symptom!

Mighty Bite · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:42 pm Post subject:

Great pics of the orcas and sea lions, Dan. Amazing what you can see out there in PWS. Not neccessarily a matter of looking for stuff. Just a matter of timing and being in the right place at the right time. Of course having a camera at the ready makes the ability to share these moments.

I'll chip in to help amortize the cost of laminating and printing the warning epistles for the sea critters, in the interest of protecting their civil liberties and/or other encroachment in the face of floating debris such as C-Dorys.

You did very well, my friend. Wish I could have been there.

El and Bill · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:54 pm Post subject:

A great experience -(and super pictures) - thanks for sharing it with us.

rogerbum

Chivita · Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:09 pm Post subject:

I think that's a great point about steering clear of mammals, guess I rarily thought about it until I tried boating in Alaska. I noticed quickly up here that there are pesky mammals swimming all over the place, Sea Otters, River Otters, Sea Lions, Whales of all sorts, then there's all the damn eagles. Just trying to put a hook in the water will get several of these creatures curiosity up and they'll come check out what you are doing and what they can steal from you. From now on I'll just pull that hook up anytime I see any other creature. Just imagine all the charter boats, fishing boats, recreation boats and float planes all within just feet of MAMMALS! Heck, there is one hell on a Sea Lion that hangs out five to fifteen feet from my dock looking for whatever hits the water.
Not sure how one can operate a boat up here without violating some poor mammal's rights, and that's just the ones we can see. Guess I'd better sell my boats or move inland so I don't upset anyone. I wonder where I can move without upseting a mammal, perhaps New York. Oh yeah, might upset a mouse.

Thanks for being so un-politically correct Dan!